A Lady's Tale After AWE
by witchywomanpicz
Summary: AU. A young lady called Felicity is to make her home in America- but she encounters trouble at sea. And she encounters pirates! A bit of extreme.
1. Chapter 1

This is my first, short chapter which outlines my character's beginnings, who she is and where she is in life. I intend on writing more as I go along, but this is the first part. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I own nothing in this other than my character, and my storyline. I don't own the rights of any characters or ships to be named here, and I don't, unfortunately, own the Caribbean.

Chapter One Back To The Beginning

My name is Felicity Whillow. I am nineteen years of age, and an aristocrat of the early eighteenth century. I make my home presently in the coastal town of Port Royal, a rich port town which stands on the edge of a beautiful Caribbean island. I am originally from the French town of Versailles however, where my family now live. I am betrothed to a young commodore (soon to become an Admiral) who works in the navy, whom are currently stationed in the port. I've had dealings with Commodores and Admirals before- hopefully this relationship will go a lot smoother than those.

At this moment in my life, I am particularly happy. Everything is just as it should be; my life is well and proper. I have a circle of friends, all as rich as I am, I have a fiance, I own half of the Caribbean, and I command my own ship which I was given by a past friend and love, a ship named '_The Dauntless_' But it hasn't always been this simple.

There have been many significant events over the steadily growing years that have shaped and mutated the course of my life, there have been significant terrible events, and in balance there have been pleasant events. They haven't only changed me- but they have altered and even destroyed those around me. I have indeed had maiden modesty stripped of me, but I dare not delve into that part of my memory. I have told no-one of my past events in life, but I now intend on writing them down.

Oh, I forget to mention, I have been in love before. This is something that will become apparent later on, but I believed it needed mentioning now. I tend to forget these things.

But for now, these events aside, I would like to start with the time when it all began. The time when I was just a rich girl in France. Back to when I knew nothing of the cruelties of life. And I knew nothing of Pirates.

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I was sat in silence on a cold carriage beside my mother and younger sister, Annabelle. We slowly made our way along a dirt track, trundling through the thick mist and light rain. The French countryside was damp and murky, but I admired every detail, from the livestock stood in the fields like ghosts amongst the mist, to the gray fields which reflected in their dark coloring the gray of the sky. They seemed robbed of color.

I was younger then, fifteen years of age. I wasn't wise either. I knew not of this, travel, other than to other places of France. I loved the country so, but knew this would be my final look at the place I called home. We were headed to America, to the new estate my father had bought. We presumed that it would be a peaceful, easy voyage, and that when my mother got to the warmth she would hopefully improve in health, as at that point she was suffering with several illnesses that I couldn't really fathom.

None of us guessed that this trip would be the last we spent together, and my mother and sister's last trip to anywhere. They would perish soon enough, but I will unfold that part of the story later.

We were to set sail the same day in the evening. That was, if the small carriage could force its way through the mist and dangerous, slippery roads on time. I felt it bounce and hit every rock and impurity in the soil of the small dirt path that we traveled along. I sighed loudly, boredom beginning to grow on my face. It had already taken my sister and she had fallen asleep from it. ⌠How much longer are we to wait?" I muttered quietly to my mother, whom sat quite still, sowing, my sister's sleeping head resting on her shoulder. She turned to me and muttered in reply,  
Have patience Felicity. I'm sure that the driver is doing all he can to get us there on time. You know the journey is long across France. Watch through the window, there are many things to see."

" Mother- I'm cold. The cold is seeping in through the door. If we don't arrive soon, I'm afraid that the frost might settle in here." I knew that the others weren't feeling the cold as I was- for I knew the others hadn't been dressed in fine silk as I. My father always insisted that wherever I went I was to dress and present myself properly. 'You never know where a potential husband might be hiding.' he always said. I suppose he had a right to feel that way- I was maturing, and a woman of wealth should always be married at an early age. To someone of her class of course.

It took seven long, slow hours to get to Bretagne on the West coast, where we were to board our ship. We were safely aboard and had set sail in the next hour.  
When I boarded the ship my worries were lost instantly to the gentle sea in the harbor and the quiet, peaceful town. If I had known what awaited me, I would have never boarded the ship. And my fear would have been immense.

So, ratings? The next chapter will be around soon, never fear. I hope to have it up within the next few days. Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

I have been working quite hard on this- but unfortunately due to no fault of my own it turned out just as short as the last chapter. Never the less, I put a lot of effort in, I hope you like it! This part introduces the first taste of pirates, and has some carnage in it, that I found necessary as I was in a destructive mood. This chapter sucks, but I promise it'll get better by the next one. No-one we know appears in the story- just yet.

This chapter of the story is written in dedication to Sally, who has taught me the joys of AU! 

Chapter Two Thieves and Trouble

I really hated our captain. And I speak with a very honest heart, and one which has no bias on who he is or where he's from. I simply hated him. And I believe he hated me in return. He smelled of fish, and had a round greasy face which closely resembled that of a carp. He spoke with a harsh, rough voice that only yapped and shouted. Never did he talk, he seemed to take pleasure in startling us frequently with his loudness. He had a short yet wide frame that gave him the same outline as a boulder.

I knew he hated me from the moment he lay eyes on me. He gave me a jeer as I strolled up and onto the deck via the wooden ramp which had been laid out for us. It startled me and almost made me trip when I felt how much his glare cut into the soul- I had been expecting a kind, bubbly man. The captain was apparently a friend of my fathers, I couldn't for the life of me see why my kind, warm artistic father would become friends with a harsh, rude, almost violent-looking character such as this.

My mother walked up to the man and he smiled politely, his facial expression suddenly changing enormously. He patted my sister on the head, and generally became warm and friendly towards the two, and they accepted it happily. I stood off to one side and watched them all, unsure and rocking steadily back and forth on my heels. I wasn't used to this treatment, I had rather expected there to be a red carpet and a selection of fine wines to be set out in our honour. I sighed loudly and pointedly in hope of getting remembered and invited into the conversation, but my mother seemed to be ignoring me.

It was a while before they finished their gossip-mongering and he finished telling them the rules aboard the ship and of where we were to stay. I looked on at them and no-one even thought of me, I felt like I had suddenly become invisible. Finally my small brainwashed family pulled away out of the conversation and my mother lead us all off towards the cabins.

They, my mother and sister, were to share a beautiful first class cabin near the end of the hall. It was the sort of place which was draped in fine silks and had detailed tapestries and paintings hanging in every available space. The floor was warm, it was a room that was placed conviniently over the gally below and when one of the meals was being cooked the heat rose and warmed the room.

I was given a second class, shabby room further down the hall that smelled of sweat and had a draught. It had a single painting of a fruit bowl that hung, or more flapped pointlessly beside the window. My room very much fitted the shabbiness of the rest of the boat. This was when I really realized he hated me, putting a woman like me who was used to servants at my beck and call, and first class standards of living in a dumpy room like this. And this was when I began to see that the whole world wasn't ready to serve me as I thought it was.

I hated the ship too, it was an incredibly small one and the most run-down I have ever seen in my life. The sails were torn and frayed from too much use and the old weak wood had rotted in several vital places and it had been repaired with a softwood that leaked violently. I knew that had a hurricane blown at the ship it would have perished instantly, it wouldn't have stood a chance. We sailed into a fairly light thunder storm on the first night, and all that time I very much feared for my life. It was like hell on high water. Fortunately the whole thing didn't last long enough to sustain any major damage to the tiny boat, but I knew had it been an hour longer the ship would have been wrecked.

I didn't particularly enjoy the atmosphere or people on board either. The rocking of the boat induced an instant sickness upon me that no-matter what I did I just found impossible to shake. Annoyingly enough, I seemed to be the only person struck by it which made my mother believe I was pretending to rake in attention. I was constantly being glared at by the crew, apparently if their captain didn't like someone- neither did they. Not only did they hate me, but they also tried to make every single day and hour of my journey as horrible as possible, whether it was by planting the occasional black rat or large spider in my room or if it was by stealing one of my private possessions, such as a hat or purse and attaching it with a dagger to a higher part of the mast where I couldn't reach. They would laugh as they watched me jump for it, and always they managed to put it a few inches away from my scrabbling fingertips. It was a nightmare. But it didn't last as long as I thought. Then another nightmare started.

Seven days, a full week in I was laying in an uncomfortable sleep under my thick white covers when I heard a loud shout from on deck. It woke me straight away, but I didn't dare move for a moment, until another shout echoed through the ship and to my ears. I froze under the sheets, eyes snapping wide open. A faint clank of metal upon metal indicated that sword blade had just met sword blade. A vigorous and hurried flurry of similar clanks meant a swordfight. I sat up and swung my legs out of bed, and swiftly made my way to the cabinet at the other side of my room. I began to gather my few possessions, emptying the drawers and grabbing a few of my fine silk dresses. I didn't know why I felt the need to do this, I guess I simply wanted to protect what I had from whoever had invaded. I knew in the end either it would be just a play fight as two of the drunken crew got a little rowdy, or it would be something much bigger.

As a thump hit the wooden deck above me, I realized it wasn't a game. Whoever had infiltrated the ship had killed their opponent. I heard the door at the end of the row of cabins creek slowly and unhappily- they were scouring the rooms. I instantly feared for my family and myself. A loud bang meant that they were forcing down doors, and a sickening scream from my sister meant they had got into their room. Blindly I threw myself out of my door, hoping to save my family- just in time to see the intruders hold my mother at gunpoint. They were a rowdy lot, all of them had small beards and had obviously neglected their personal hygiene, and for a moment I wondered what they were and why they were here. Then I figured it out, and groaned in fear.

Pirates.

They turned to look at me when I stepped out of my room. "Blast", I cursed openly. True, they weren't going for my family now- but instead they had turned their sharp gaze on me, a set of around twenty eager eyes looking me up and down. I was more their thing- an attractive, rich and well educated looking woman, of a decent age for kidnapping and... I didn't want to think of that. I hated the idea. So, as I pulled my wits together, instead of lingering stupidly and accepting my fate I turned and attempted to run for my life in the opposite direction. I met a wall at the other end of the hallway. I met it and began to throw myself at it, as if I could break it down and escape. They caught up with me and one man took my arms and tied them behind my back with some thick rope.

It all happened quickly from then on. They tripped me and pinned me down then they tied my ankles together with more rope. I was picked up and carried off under the arm of a well tanned brutish sort of man with a thick-set face and hazy brown eyes. He wouldn't budge, no matter how much I kicked at him and slandered him. They carried me off, but he didn't have to do much struggling after the next horror I saw.

We passed my mother's room- and all hell was revealed as I observed, wide eyed, a scene of carnage. The pair lay limp and lifeless, covered from neck to toe in a thick layer of bright red blood and sprawled out on their beds. My whole world turned black and I fell limp in the arms of the pirate.

Ratings are much appreciated. I know this chapter wasn't my best- but I did want to get it written ASAP so I can move on to the next, much better chapter where we might just meet someone a bit more interesting.


	3. Chapter 3

This chapter has no dedication. It's been one of the most awkward chapters in the history of the planet. I didn't enjoy making it much, but it has to be done. I suppose I quite like how it turned out. Hope you enjoy it! It took me AGES to write!

Ta. WARNING, EXTREME

But only for this chap, I'm going to cut it out for the rest hopefully. :) Until I HAVE to use it again.

Chapter 3

Devils, Black Sheep And Really Bad Eggs.

I didn't wake for another six hours. I dropped in and out of consciousness, but every time I woke I imagined the mangled bodies of my family and the painful shock made me fall back into an uneasy sleep. My dreams were littered always with the invading pirates and my loved one's murders. I thought my life was over, now I had no family I would never cope in the world. I wanted to wake and it all have been a bad dream, but this was real. And I knew it.

When I finally did awake, a different shock took my mind off the pain. A man was perched in silence on the edge of my hard wooden bed, watching me intently. As I sat up quickly, I realized this room which I had been placed in was a tiny sleeping quarter of someone quite rough. It was definitely on a ship as the room rocked with the swaying tide. The desk in the far corner of the room opposite me was littered with books and papers, and was the only thing, other than the bed, that occupied the room. A candle stood amongst the papers, its tiny flame flickering to and fro slowly and shedding a warm red light over the old wooden walls and the fine golden ink on the parchment around it. Several oil paintings of old pirate ships hung on the walls, alongside a single, apparently stolen tapestry depicting a pirate hanging. This quite confused me, surely these pirates didn't want to think of something like this.

I turned my attention on the man at my feet. He looked back at me, giving me an equally attentive gaze. He suddenly smiled and stood. "M'lday". He growled, smirking. "Sleep well?" A chuckle from outside. The crew were listening in. I guessed this man was the pirate captain, simply because he was there with me while the rest were outside. He didn't even give the door a glance, he just shuffled closer to me.

In the light, I picked out some of his features clearer. He had a greasy, wide, tanned face the colour of rich fine coffee. He had thin brown slits for eyes, which made him look oriental. He wore mere rags of a once finely made clothing, a frilled yellowing white shirt and a set of brown breeches which were tucked in under a pair of tattered brown boots. His hat and gun, a brown leather tricorn and a small pistol lay near me on the bed. I was about to grab the gun and point it at him, when I realized even if I could get it in time, I had no idea how to use it. He saw my hand twitch in the direction of his things, and he knocked them quickly off the bed. My one escape was instantly ruined. I looked up at him and glared.

"What is it that you want with me?" I asked snappily. He smirked and shuffled ever closer. I backed up towards the headboard and pulled one of the sheets up to my neck in defense. "I obviously have no real pirating skills, I don't have a clue about boats and I am no genius, so there is no good use for me on this ship."

The crew outside all roared with laughter. I frowned, still I didn't seem to properly understand. I was a young girl, stuck aboard a pirate ship with no good use. That's all I thought, I had no reason to be kept there and no part to play. I was so naive. Of course I would play a part. Looking back, I should have realized from the start what they wanted me for. I knew THAT line of the song so well. 'We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot.' Its so clear now. He looked me up and down and then suddenly lunged forwards, so we were so close that our foreheads touched. I whimpered softly into the trails of his long, wavy greasy black hair which flittered and trailed idly across my face. I was afraid and quite uncertain. What's happening? Why is he so close? Those were my thoughts before he began to mutter things in my ear that I still hear to this day. Back then it confused me so badly.

"You're a fine young filly." He whispered softly yet harshly in my ear as he stroked my hair gently. "And you don't know it. What a waste of a good strong lass like you. I know you're a lady, but here you'll be getting no cream tea and scones. Oh no. Rum?"

I looked at his outstretched hand which bore the bottle of thin red liquid. I frowned. To make myself look more like I was in the know, I took it from him, uncorked it and took a long swig. As soon as the strong alcohol hit the back of my throat I shuddered violently all over my body and shook my head vigorously as if trying to shake off the disgusting taste. He watched me with a wide beaming toothless smile on his face, as if this were some evil, sick joke of his. I thrust the bottle back at him, and he took a long swig too. It seemed to instantly hit his head, and he almost seemed glad of the effects.

"That stuff is horrible." I muttered, my large blue eyes screwed up tightly and my face a picture of complete disgust. As my eyes were closed, I didn't see or somehow feel him shuffling even closer, he was now so close that he practically sat on my hips, and I didn't see his right hand slowly reaching for the waistline of his breeches. I also didn't at first feel the sheets covering me being tugged from my hands. When I opened my eyes, he was half naked and smiling at me intently.

"Come on princess." He growled mirthlessly at me as he drew himself up roughly on top of me. He dragged off his boots and tight brown trousers and dropped them off the side of the bed. They made a light clunking sound as they hit the hard wooden floor. Despite my continuous struggling, he finally pulled off what little was left of the comfort offered by my covers and hitched up the skirt of my dress. I was so dazed and confused by his actions, that I forgot to fight back. I hadn't a clue what he was doing down there, why he was down there or why it was that particular area he went for.

"Lets party." He whispered softly... And the rest... Is history.

I don't wish to recall that evening's events. I suppose in some ways it is best left to the imagination. I had absolutely no idea in the world how painful it would be, and how much I would cry the next day. I couldn't believe how violent it had been. My father used to call it 'The Act Of Love', but I had never expected love to be like that. Perhaps we hadn't done it right. I couldn't have realized back then that he didn't really love me. I had no idea how cruel the world could be. After all, I was just a girl aboard a pirate ship. Right?

I crept out on deck the morning after, my head a fizz. My 'lover' had left my room early in the morning when I had been coaxed off to sleep, so I went off to find him and ask him about what had happened. I wanted it all explaining properly. When I saw them, the crew looked at me with... pity? I wandered out of the small room, my nightgown a torn mess, slightly tinged with blood and my used body, discarded like a used sheet of parchment shuddering in the breeze. My long blonde locks had been left a raggedy mess, and I looked nothing on how I did before. The proud, sophisticated and stuck up Lady inside me was being told to hush. Through my ever growing and boiling sorrows a new, strange character was rising up inside me, one I was unaccustomed to. She had hate, she had no morale, she was a real sassy minx when she wanted to be, and more than all of this, she was obviously a killer not to be messed with...

She was a pirate.

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Whoot! How was that for ya? Took me bloody ages to write, a full 3 hours at least. Hope you had fun! If you liked it, say so! Review!

Note: This was posted at 11:20pm, and a lot of it was wrote rather late. Oh, ps, thanks to my reviewers. I love you all. ;

Yawn


	4. Chapter 4

I've decided that Fan fiction writing is seriously difficult. I really do feel for you who do massive stories. I hope this suffices, but I had serious writer's block & I was clutching at straws really. But anyway, enjoy!

Chapter Four

You're poison running through my veins

I felt odd and slightly sick as this new character began to weave into my brain. She clutched tightly at my Cerebrum like a limpet to a mossy rock and began to take over me. It was as if this new woman was physically near me, she wasn't my imagination but a real person. I felt as though I was being possessed by a real, live spirit. As she weaved into my brain, she seemed to take over my body too. Indeed, my stiff posture began to slacken and my spine arched a tiny bit. I still had the look of a lady and a very highly strung noblewoman, but there was a new fire which burned in my eyes.

It was then that I decided life could continue with or without a family there to support me. And it would. And it was then that my first plans for revenge took hold.

I began to realize, after a few hours of steadily turning over the events of the past night, that the captain didn't want me for my love. I began to understand what his goals were, what sort of person he was. I also knew that this was the sort of man who just might end up getting me killed. I had to be aware of everything.

I had to trust nothing he did.

I crept back into my room when the weather deteriorated and collapsed heavily on the bed. Where before I would have lightly placed myself, this time I threw myself at the soft covers and curled up in a tight ball. I then rolled over and looked intently at the ceiling. It was dirty and slightly wet in patches from the light drizzle of tropical rain outside. A draft blew through the room that I didn't notice before and it made me shudder. Then, suddenly I sat bolt upright.

Across the room were the Captain's drawers. I eyed them up with an evil smirk. I stood and slowly made my way over to them, creeping in the most silence I could manage as if I was being watched. I took the candelabra which hung above the desk and lit the candle on there with it. This seemed a little pointless as the candle had hardly any extra-vision to offer, but I needed the extra light for inside the drawers. I grasped one of the rusty bronze doorknobs which were used to open the drawers, and I dragged it out. It creaked loudly and I froze, but then just yanked it out anyway, to get the noise over and done with. I discovered this drawer was full of just rum bottles and long, large maps full of exotic place names and pinpoints. I shoved them back in before I got lost in the Geography of those unknown places. On the top there was a map of the Caribbean, and I presumed quite rightly that we were currently sailing near to the port of Tortuga.

The second drawer seemed to be full of only his old, worn and dirty clothes. His collection of clothes was tiny, consisting only of a few yellowing shirts and brown breeches. There was, however, a collection of pistols which had been buried under the clothes. They weren't in mint condition, so I decided they weren't of much value to him. I took one and carefully hid it down my cleavage. Surprisingly enough, it fit comfortably without looking suspicious. I took a knife from the drawer too. It was rusty, but it could still do some serious damage if applied properly. I didn't know how to fight, but I guessed that stabbing someone wouldn't be too difficult to fathom.

But it was the third drawer which really caught my attention. It was the third drawer where I discovered his real methods of killing. First of all, I pulled out a long sabre in a gold embroidered scabbard which glinted at me gently in the candle's rosy glow. I drew the sword from inside slowly, enjoying the scraping noise it made as the two metals made contact and rubbed together. I admired it at arms length, gave it a small twirl and then replaced it in it's sheath. I leant it up against the drawers so it wasn't in my way on the inside. I continued to look through his possessions, turning over many different varieties and styles of guns, including a heavy blunderbuss with it's huge black barrel and a few more better cared for pistols. I found a small map tucked up in a soft string-pouch which I couldn't resist taking. It seemed to be important and for some strange reason I was attracted to it. I took it and placed it in the garter at the top of my left stocking.

I seemed to have routed through the entire drawer when a small glint of something smooth and made of glass which was hidden at the back caught my eye. I reached deep inside and retrieved a medium-sized black bottle. On the side '_Arsenic_' was written in a slanted, curving style of calligraphy. I was drawn to the poison within instantly. The thick black-grey liquid inside seemed to call to me and I instantly warmed to the colour. The Liquid was grey and reminded me of a stormy day, the clouds so angry. The sky lost behind them. Those days were so mysterious and full of wonder. And the colour reflected all that was powerful in those days.

I decided to take it. I didn't know why, but it would be useful in the next few days. I could tell. I threw the sabre haphazardly back into the drawer and closed the door swiftly. The whole thing shuddered as the drawer slammed shut. It made a loud crash which I knew would attract the attention of the crew, so I hid the Arsenic quickly in the underskirt of my dress and threw myself down on the bed. I feigned sleep just in time as one of the crew came barging in. He saw my sleeping form on the bed, looked around wildly then paused to admire the room. He looked angry, I saw through my half-closed eyes. Angry at something that had nothing to do with the Crashing.

I recognize that expression easily now. Its the expression of a man who has something other than being a good sailor and obeying his captain on his mind. Mutiny. Every pirate has to watch for it or face the consequences. Perhaps it was fate, or just good luck that the pirates weren't on the captains side. And he was just too drunk to notice.

I opened my eyes and sat up, facing the pirate dead on. "Might I assist you in some way?" I asked in fake politeness.

"No ma-am." He growled, an obvious embarrassment rife in his sharp, thin face and the candle's glow highlighting the strands of his brown locks and beard. I was quite astounded by the man, he was powerfully built yet he moved stealthily and his eyes were kind yet... wicked. He looked almost like... The son of the devil. "I thought I heard a noise."

With that and not a word further, he turned and headed for the door. But before he stepped outside, he turned his head and muttered, "We're planning to kill or maroon the captain. We've seen how he treats you, and we were wondering... Would you like to do the honours? We have a plan you see, that we think might just work. But we need a lady's influence, he'd catch on too fast with us. But you have brains AND he can't resist you. We do quite need your help."

I smiled, and patted at my chest, feeling the hard metal of the gun inside. My new malice made my usual pleasant, pleased smile turn into a harsh, evil sort of smirk. "Firstly what's your name, and secondly, how can I help you?" I growled.

"You'll become familiar with our plan soon enough, Missy. The name's Frederick. I'm the first mate. Frederick Barbossa."

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Oooh, tell me what you think! I'm awaiting reviews and just general lovingness. :)


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